Thrust bearing



L. RoEBl-:L

THRUST BEARING Oct. -2 7, 1931.

Filed Hay 13. 1926 Patented Oct. 27, 19,31*'

UNITEDr STATES PATENT osi-lcs LUDWIG ROEBEL, F LIANNHEIM, GERIVLANY, ASSIGNOR TO AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT BROWN BOVERI & CIE., OF BADEN, SWITZERLAED, A JGLNTSTCCK COMPANY OF SWITZERLAND THRUST BEARING Y Application led May 13, 1926, Serial No. 108,763, and in Germany July 1, 1925.

This invention relates to thrust bearing for rotating or stationary machine parts, and pertains particularly to thrust bearings of the multiple collar type, in which the pressure of the supported element is to be distributed among a number of supporting members spacedaxially.

' The general object of the invention is the provision of a construction whereby the 1o thrust pressure is automatically equalized among the several thrust collars or supporting members.

Another object is the provision of such a construction which facilitates lubrication of the bearing surfaces.

Other objects will be pointed out or indicated hereinafter or obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the invention. I

In the drawings forming a part of this specification I show one form in which the invention may be embodied, and various modified details, but it is to be understood that these are presented forpurpose of illustration only and are not to be construed as imposing` on the claims limitations not required by the prior art. In the drawings, Fig. l is a longitudinal section on a diameter'of a bearing construction demonstrating the invention,

Fig. 2 is a lineal development of said assembly on a cylindrical section through the lines A-B and A-B, y Fig. 3 is a detail showing a face view of ya bearing ring segment,

Fig. 4 is a detail showing a longitudinal section of a modified form of thrust Aequalizing stud, and

Y Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating a modified arrangement of equalizing members.

F. ig. 6 is a detail illustrating another modified construction, and Fig. 7 is a detail illustrating a. third modified construction.

It is frequently found with large thrust bearings of the multiple collar type that the load is unequally distributed over the bearingsurface. Thus individual collars will be found to be taking more than their correct proportion of the load or the load intensity becomes excessive at certain points with the result that the oil is squeezedout, the bearing commences to run hot, and a complete breakdown may ensue.

To obviate this difficulty, thrust bearings have been built with a single collar only, but with the annular' bearing surface on which the collar runs divided into a larger number of segments which are mechanically interconnected in such a way that if one segment becomes overloaded it yields slightly and in so doing causes the neighboring segments to be pressed with greater force against the collar. In this way a uniform distribution of the load between the segments is obtained. lVhen very heavy axial loads have to be carried, however, a single collar, even when uniformly loaded, may be inadequate. The difficulty cannot be overcome by simply arranging a number of such collars in series, since this gives no assurance that the total axial load is even approximately uniformly distributed between all the collars.

According to the present invention, the movements of the individual bearing rings, systems of segments etc., on which the shaft collars run are transmitted by studs or bolts which may be either in tension or compression. Each stud is connected to one of the bearing rings, systems of segments, etc., in such a way that it is able to transmit the load carried by same, and the suitably shaped ends of the studs are supported each on two balls, rollers, prisms, or similar elements'in such a. manner that ifone of the studs is displaced in the direction of the axial load the above-mentioned elements are forced apart with the result that the adjacent studs are displaced in the opposite direction.

In the form illustrated herein,- Fig. l rep resents a bearing having four collars 75l-7a4 which are carried on the shaft and run on four bearing rings afl-r4. Holes are provided in the rings outside the circumference of the collars, through which holes the studs b pass (the figure shows an arrangement for 16 of these studs). Four of these studs at equidistant spacing are rigidly joined, by screwing as at for exampie, to one of the bearing rings, but are capable of mot-ion with respect to the other three rings. Another' four. ystuds kare rigidly joined to l another bearing ring, and so on.`

Fig. 2 represents thedevelopmentl of a cy' lindrical section vthrough the bearing rings and coaxial Wththe shaft, its position being indicated by the lines JAB and A B in the figure. The ends of vthe studs which are l supported bythe stationary part ofthe bearing gf are` made in' the shape 'of truncated conesl'j'lhe conical surfaces rest on balls m lying in an` annular-semi-circular 'groove-"d" in thev housing. Thus, 'if one of the' bearing" rings receives too great a share ofthe load it Will '.bedisplaced .inl the direction of the arrow. The balls on Which'the studs attached;

to. the 'ring in: question rest Willtherefore be forced-"- apart Y'sideways,`\""earising the ree maining studs, together Withvthe ringsattached to them,"t'obe displaced in the jopposite axialv Vdirection,"that is, i against kthe load. Thismovementlvvill continue until the load is once more .eqally'distributed between The studs Y) by --mean's'of'which the load equalization is obtained need not be cone'd at the ends" as described"iabove,"but"can be Y simply'formed with twoinclined faces'.V lf this is done, carermustibe't'alen that the line of symmetry tothe t'woljincli'ned' faces passes throughV the bearing"aXisj` This' can'be ensured bycutting the 'chfamfers' on ka special piece vvhich'iitsona or reduced portion "I onjthe endf of the stu'das shown in'Fig. ;"'".lhejpiece e can thus rotaterelativeto the Asset@ methodes iter-eut* er@ sans Off square andsupportthem on a secondjroiv of balls afs shown i1i"Fig."5. `The end sfinay'gbe slightlyliollovvedjoutifdesiredf lf capable ofnfodilcation, the ni'imberofstuds The arrangement as i'described" is' naturallyI attached to each"4 bearing ring may,A for `e'X- ample, *bey other .than'fourlf The 'rigidi' con'- nection between; the' studs' and rings,k may 'be dornof 'movement and 'only transmits the pressure'in an axial'direction',V Th 'mayvtale the form illustrated in Fig; 6, Whe in spheri-l ai @O1-1m b2 0in the 'Studs rest in' ,helianthe-fi'. cal depressions Vformedv in the" 'ringsfto'jform a ball^and socket joint. In tlii's'c'ase the studs`-farefree to^take aninclinedfposiftionA withY regard tolthe rings and 'tfinayl therefore be advisable to'provide'som'means of' preventingthe set of ringsfroirf becoming eut in the circumference; and v2suita'ble keyk e 'litted to' lhold them" against 'rotationvhile permitting axial or' tilting movement, necessary one'of the balls 'may be'prevented fromfmoving laterally byfsuitable stops, or

Instead of: balls :other elementsf'subhas conical cylinder s,' prisms, etc., may be emy ployech Thel bearing'pan alsbe designed to' Lezegm take axial loads' both directions", tvhich case Vthe number ofrings should be one more than the number of collars and the studs are coned at both ends,'so as to duplicate at the lother end the arrangement shown at the right end of Fig. l, tWo systems of balls, rollers, or prisms are provided as in the form shown. 'ifo secure amore uniform distribution of theflfoadv on each ringfdivided,ringssuch as shovvn in Fig. may be employed. When "thisisdone care should be taken that the ends of'the various ringsdo not liein the''fsar'ey faXial plane.' The. q studs: 'attached to'f'eachhalf ring may be locatedion'alline parallel tofzethey end faces and passing through the centre of gravity of the bearingface. Alter-natively' they. *be "arranged slightly i [asymmetrically Vas shown in Fig.13, s othat inleiding eidg@ f, thehaii ring is und@ a www 10m 'mense-bf @han the 1-emainderjof the bearing' surface; fIn

thisw of the lubric 1nJ oil yb etiveeii' 'the rubbing 'surfacesvisffacili ated.

road in onevt direction only; but theeisljoiobieetoil te @mnd/ine Ythe principle f anew fffgxiarloads-mbothfdnet @seeing i A fThrust bearing construction comprisingV the'A combination 'with a thrust member and a supported inemberfoffcollars carried by th"e` fjlattferfi1`1 A `a`iiallyI lspae'efd relationship, thru'string's abutting the collars,"studsf'conneed.toresieeivferm-,rings.adenova'ble' longitudinallythrou'ghftlieother rings and equalizing members coopera n'gjvvith vj uffi-j ama- @stragi-fh@ centime@ 'ivith" "thrust A."suj iporting inemben'and a lll) r'tively VWith the :collars and axially movable `ringsand cooperating With respective thrust 'rings to support the thrusts thereof, and

equalizing members cooperating With the thrust studs andthe thrust supporting members to equalize the thrust on all rings.

4. In a thrust bearing, the combination With a thrust supporting member and a shaft, of collars spaced axially von the shaft, thrust members cooperating each With a respective collar and movable axially to each other, thrust studs disposed at a distance from the shaft less than from said shaft to the peripheries of the rings and having supporting engagement with respective thrust members and equalizing members for transmitting movement from the studs supporting one of the thrust members to those supporting all the others in the opposite axial direction.

5. In a thrust bearing, the combination with a thrust supporting member and a shaft, of thrust collars carried by the latter, rings for receiving thrust of the respective collars, said rings being relatively movable in an axial direction, thrust transmitting members arranged in a series around the shaft at a distance therefrom less than that from said shaft to the peripheries of the rings and connected in groups to respective rings, and relatively movable equalizing elements cooperating With the thrust transmitting members.

6. In a thrust bearing, the combinationvvith a bearing block and shaft, of thrust collars spaced axially on the latter, thrust rings for taking thrust from respective collars, axially extending studs connected in groups to respective rings for axial movement therewith and disposed at a distance from the shaft less than that from said shaft to the peripheries of said rings, and balls supported on the bearing block in Wedging cooperation with said studs.

7. A thrust bearing comprising a stationary enclosing member, a rotating shaft extending through said enclosing member, collars secured to and axially spaced along said shaft, annular thrust members movable axially into engagement with said collars, means for joining said thrust members to prevent rotary movement thereof and disposed at a distance from the shaft less than that from said shaft to the peripheries of said thrust members, and means intermediate said enclosing member and said thrust member joining means to permit equal distribution of axial pressure thereon.

8. A thrust bearing comprising a stationary enclosing member, a rotating shaft extending through said enclosing member, spaced collars carried by said shaft, thrust rings spaced by and movable into engagement with' s'ai'd` collars,A studs joining said thrust rings to prevent rotation and permit axial movement thereof and disposed at a distance from the shaft less than that from said shaft to the peripheries of said rings, and equalizing members in movable contact with said enclosing member and cooperating with said studs to permit distribution of axial pressure on said thrust rings.

9. A thrust bearing comprising a stationary enclosing member having a groove in one end thereof, a rotating shaft extending into said enclosing member, spaced collars secured to said shaft Within said enclosing member, thrust rings having opposed apertures and movable into engagement With said collars,

studs extending through the apertures in said thrust rings, and balls resting in the groove in said enclosing member and cooperating with said studs to provide for distribution of axial pressure on said thrust rings.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Stuttgart on the 10th day of April, A. D. 1926.

LUDWIG ROEBEL. 

